Do Our Top Performers Mask Opportunities to Unlock Team wide Productivity?

As retailers, are we potentially overlooking structural issues that hold back store and sales associate performance? Do the metrics and feedback mechanisms we rely on inadvertently mask untapped potential across our teams?

I recently joined the F1 fandom—thanks to Netflix and Drive to Survive—and this question has been on my mind. Like many, I once believed that the car was the dominant source of competitive advantage in Formula 1. However, the series debunked that notion, showing that success in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships relies on two key factors: high-performing cars and drivers. This point was underscored by the varied performance of each team’s two drivers. Despite having the same tools, drivers often deliver dramatically different results.

Take, for example, Max Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez at Red Bull. From 2021-2023, Max won three consecutive World Championships, while Red Bull dominated the Constructors' Championships. In 2023 alone, Max won 20 out of 22 races, with his teammate taking one of the remaining two and posting finishes average three places behind Max. However, in 2024, Max's results took a sudden turn. After winning seven of the first 10 races, his finishes in the following eight races were notably different: 5th, 2nd, 5th, 4th, 2nd, 6th, 5th, and 2nd.

Initially, Red Bull attributed Max's dip in performance to other teams catching up in car performance. But as the struggles persisted, Red Bull revealed that a deeper issue was at play: the car had become increasingly difficult to drive, a problem that was traced back to an upgrade introduced in the seventh race of 2023. Interestingly, Sergio Perez, Max’s teammate, had flagged this issue almost immediately. But because Max continued to perform well through the remainder of 2023, the root of the problem went unnoticed until Max himself began to struggle.

This scenario is a powerful reminder that top performers, like Max, may inadvertently mask underlying issues. In our organizations, the success of high-performing individuals can sometimes overshadow deeper problems that, if addressed, could unlock greater teamwide productivity. Just as in F1, where both the car and the driver must excel, we need to ensure that our structures, tools, training, coaching,  and strategies are fully optimized for everyone—not just our top performers.

Are there hidden obstacles in your teams that deserve a closer look?